Dream with Me
by Allanna Stone
Summary: Haytham finds out he's a father..
1. Chapter 1

**Dream with Me**

 **I don't own Assassin's Creed.**

 **SUMMARY:**

 **Haytham finds out he's a father.**

Captain Haytham Kenway groaned quietly as he adjusted his posture. He had been riding for half the day and his legs and bottom had fallen into such a deep slumber he feared that waking them would be impossible.

Haytham's head turned as a shout of laughter floated into view. He frowned and dismounted, following the shrieks of glee to where a small brook bubbled. He hid himself in the shadows of the trees and observed as two young children frolicked in the waters.

Haytham crept closer, biting back a smile as the girl splashed the boy and fell onto her rear, soaking her beaded dress. The boy laughed, earning himself another splash as he helped her out of the water.

The girl shouted something and pointed into the trees opposite of where Haytham was hiding. He looked and felt his stomach lurch into his throat.

There, sniffing the air was a brown bear. The two children stood still in fear and the bear charged.

With record breaking speed, Haytham grabbed his musket from his horse's saddle pack and took careful aim before firing. The bear stopped mid charge and fell down, dead.

The little girl let out a scream as the boy took up his own weapons, a bow and arrow. He pushed her behind him as he stood brave. Haytham stepped from the trees, his horse trailing close behind, as he held his hands up to show them that he meant them no harm.

"Who are you?"

It took Haytham's mind a moment to process the Mohawk language that the boy had spoken.

"Haytham Kenway," he answered.

The little girl peeked out from behind her friend and waved shyly.

"Totsi," she said, pointing to herself. She then pointed to her protector. "Ratonhnhaké:ton."

"Are you injured?" Haytham asked, looking them over. They both had little cuts and scratches from playing the day away, and the British redcoat was itching to put some cream on them.

"It's getting dark," the boy- Ratonhnhaké:ton- stated gruffly, staring at Haytham as though he were expecting him to try to harm them.

"Let me take you," Haytham offered as his horse wandered from the trees. Totsi needed no further encouragement as she bolted for the horse.

Haytham lifted Tosti up into the saddle first, followed by Ratonhnhaké:ton. He took the reins of his horse and began to trek through the forest.

Little Totsi was quick to direct Haytham towards the village where she and Ratonhnhaké:ton lived, and with a sinking heart, he remembered that Ziio's village was in the vicinity.

"Should I or should I not?" he thought before coming upon the village quicker than he remembered.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton! Totsi!" someone shouted.

Haytham's head turned and his eyes widened at the woman who was running towards them.

Long black hair worn in twin braids.

Wise, dark eyes.

Tanned skin.

It was Ziio.


	2. Chapter 2

**Dream with Me**

 **I don't own Assassin's Creed.**

 **SUMMARY:**

 **Haytham finds out he's a father.**

Immediately, Ratonhnhaké:ton's surly face brightened at Ziio's face. Haytham helped both children off his horse and turned to leave.

"Haytham Kenway!"

He winced at Ziio's voice, cold with fury and turned to face her.

"Ista!" Totsi whined before peeling off in her native language. Haytham's heart sank at the acknowledging title that the little girl had innocently called Ziio.

She had moved on from him.

The redcoat examined the little Mohawk girl closely and found himself confused. She had to be the child of a white man, judging by her fair skin and bright sapphire blue eyes.

Ziio's eyes softened at the young girl's words and turned to face him.

"Thank you for rescuing them," was all that she said before Ratonhnhaké:ton spoke up, asking her something. Haytham picked out the words "Totsi" and "father", to which Ziio responded.

The second that Ratonhnhaké:ton and Totsi were out of sight, Ziio turned back to Haytham and slapped him.

"How dare you!" she hissed in a deadly quiet voice.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out, bracing himself from another strike. It took all his training not to catch her next blow.

"Why didn't you come back?" she asked, tears in her eyes. "Why didn't you come back?"

"What?" Haytham asked dumbly.

"I wanted you to return," she whispered in a sad voice.

"I thought you made it quite clear that I was to never returnel," Haytham stated in a confused voice.

"I did," she answered. "But I wanted for you to try and see me again..."

"Why?" he asked, his confused face making Ziio reach out to touch his cheek with a shaking hand.

"Your son..." she whispered in a tender voice."You have a son."


	3. Chapter 3

**Dream with Me**

 **I don't own Assassin's Creed.**

 **SUMMARY:**

 **Haytham finds out he's a father.**

Haytham stared at Ziio in shock, the words not registering in his brain.

"What?" he choked out after about a minute.

"You have a son," Ziio repeated herself in a gentler voice.

"A son?" he whispered in shock before what she was telling him struck him in the chest.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton," she confirmed.

"My son..." Haytham whispered in shock. "Does he... does he know about me?"

Ziio sighed sadly.

"I don't tell him much," she confessed.

"And Totsi?" he couldn't help the jealous tone his voice took on.

"Her mother died after she was born. I helped her father to raise her," she told him. "Abooksigun."

Haytham's memory remembered the name.

"She's the chief's daughter?" he asked, his eyes going to the tent where Ratonhnhaké:ton and Totsi has vanished into.

"Yes," Ziio answered. "Come."

Haytham followed her into the tent, where his son and Tosti were playing a game with small, smooth pebbles and sticks. The little girl's eyes were drooping as she struggled to stay awake.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton," Ziio called out softly. The little boy turned to his mother and Haytham sucked in his breath at the child's eyes, which had been passed down from the Templar.

"Ista?" he asked as he awkwardly picked up Totsi, who despite being considerably smaller than he, was still a bit heavy for him. He carried her over to a bedroll and covered her with a carefully woven blanket before crossing to stand before his mother. Haytham glanced over at Totsi and smiled at the care that his son had taken to tucking her in.

"Ista?" the boy repeated, taking a step away from Haytham, distrust lining his eyes.

Ziio smiled at their son, kneeling so that she was at eye level and laced their fingers together.

Haytham watched as Ziio explained to Ratonhnhaké:ton that Haytham was his father. When she finished, the young boy barely glanced at the redcoat before he jumped into bed next to Totsi.

Haytham looked at Ziio for an answer.

"He doesn't trust strangers, especially if they're white," she explained in a soft voice. "Give him a few days."

Ziio kissed his cheek, giggling softly as his arm snaked around her waist to hold her closer to him.

"A few days?" Haytham asked in a slightly husky voice. "And what do you suggest we do to pass the time?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Dream with Me**

 **I don't own Assassin's Creed.**

 **SUMMARY:**

 **Haytham finds out he's a father.**

Haytham woke up drenched in sweat and out of breath. He sat up and ran his hand through his messy hair before swinging his legs out of bed and leaning forwards, his elbows on his knees.

"I have a bad feeling about today," he mumbled, glancing out the window. Seeing that the sun was about to rise, he decided to go about getting ready for the day ahead of him.

He was on his way to the stables when Shay Cormac rode up.

"Grandmaster," the younger man greeted him, frowning at the agitated grandmaster.

"Shay," Haytham greeted him, entering his horse's stall and hurriedly brushing out its coat. "I'm sorry, but I need to go out." Then after a moment, he added, "Would you care to accompany me?"

"Of course," answered the Irishman as Haytham swung the saddle onto his mount and tightened the girth before leading the animal out. He retightened the girth before swinging himself up into the saddle and setting off. "Why are you…"

Haytham sighed at Shay's question before telling him everything.

Ziio.

His son.

Totsi.

When he had finished, Shay was deep in thought before his eyes widened.

"I smell smoke," was all that he said.

Haytham silently urged his horse onwards, galloping through trees and froze that the village in flames.

"Ista!"

The terrified cry was all he needed to hear to dismount and race into the village with Shay close on his heels.

"Ziio?" he shouted, entering her log cabin. He found her, pinned down by fallen beams and urging her children to leave her to her fate. "Shay, help me!"

With the other man's help, they lifted the debris off of Ziio and Haytham helped her out of the house while Shay had picked up both children and was following him closely. Not more than a moment after they had left the log cabin did it collasp. Totsi screamed in fear as Ratonhnhaké:ton took her hand in his and squeezed.

"Are you alright?" Haytham asked Ziio tenderly as he and Shay made their way over to their horses. He noticed that there were some cuts and burns on his face and shoulder, only making her all the more beautiful, in his own opinion.

"Ratonhnhaké:ton… Totsi…" she mumbled, a bit disoriented as he carefully swung himself into the saddle with her in his arms.

"They're safe," he soothed her, glancing over at Shay and seeing that the younger man. "My friend is taking them to my house, but I'm going ahead with you- I'm worried about those burns."

Ziio smiled weakly and cupped his cheek with her palm as he spurred his horse into a speedy gallop, heading straight for his Boston home.

~xoXox~

"Well," the doctor started after looking over Ziio. "Her burns aren't serious, but I'm still going to give you some ointment to rub on them four times a day, just to be sure that they won't scar any."

Haytham nodded, looking intimidating even with Totsi clinging to his leg.

"Thank you, doctor," was all that he said as he walked the doctor to the front door. Out the window, he could see his son up in a tree, redoing the beaded braid in his hair.

He paid the man before calling for Ratonhnhaké:ton to come in and sighed heavily. Little Totsi tugged at his pants, averting his attention to the little girl.

" _Hungry_ ," she said in her native language.

Haytham only chuckled as Ratonhnhaké:ton trailed in with a grumpy look on his face.

"Come, I'll make lunch," he told the two of them, chuckling as Ratonhnhaké:ton perked up some. Since he didn't really know how to cook, he sliced a fresh loaf of bread into edible pieces and gave each child an apple to much on.

Shay came in a few minutes later, having been tending to their horses. Totsi's attention was captured by this new strange man and she stared at him as he and Haytham talked about matters.

" _He talks funny_!" she finally spoke up, having finished her meal.

Haytham burst out laughing at her cute observation, while Shay waited for Haytham to translate. After having heard what she had said, he only smiled.

Shay smirked as he finished chewing the deer meat in his mouth. "Mm. Agus nach bhfuil sí éisteacht a labhairt liom i mo theanga dhúchais."

Totsi stared at Shay with utter adoration while Haytham and Ratonhnhaké:ton looked like they were wondering if the Irishman was sick.

"I said: 'and to think she's not heard me speak in my native language'," Shay explained with a light chuckle. "My da taught me Gaelic when I was but a wee lad."


End file.
